Local Digital Marketing Tactics that are Helping Brands like Airbnb and Warby Parker to Drive Better Results

Local businesses are the slowest when it comes to adopting digital technologies and the latest digital marketing techniques. This is probably because small local business owners don’t think that staying on top of all the latest marketing trends is much important. It takes a time to adapt to the most up-to-date technologies and small businesses usually don’t have a digital marketing team or the skills required to make it happen.

For many local businesses, no matter small or medium sized, it is most important to create unique localized digital marketing strategies. If truth be told, there is more potential of using digital marketing to drive quality results for local businesses. Here I’ve mentioned some local digital marketing tactics that many huge brands are adopting to drive immediate results.

Content Marketing

When it comes to effective digital marketing, you can’t ignore the power of content marketing. In the digital landscape, there are many brands that are investing in creating quality, relevant, engaging content that gets positive responses. It is not a strategy that only works for huge brands, small businesses can make the most out of it. Many small businesses have proven that in order to succeed, all you need to come up with engaging, informative content, devise a content calendar and stick to it.

Many small local businesses have a great opportunity to create content that is specific to their city or a specific region. For instance, local law firms are specialized in all the specifics of the law within their state. A local landscaping business perhaps knows how to design lawns and gardens more than anyone else in their city. A local restaurant is expert in all the specific dishes that people like most in the specific region. This expertise can easily be used to craft content that is useful to people in their target area.

Informative, engaging, and quality content plays a key role in organic search rankings. It has potential to attract links, mentions, shares, likes, comments, that are necessary for your brand exposure.

Let’s take an example of Airbnb here:

The brand smartly used content is tailor-made for the audience of a specific area to boost user engagement.

Partnering with Local Influencers

Partnership with highly-recognizable niche influencers can be remarkably expensive and many small businesses can’t afford to adopt this tactic. However, influencer marketing doesn’t mean connecting with huge names or celebrities. In reality, it is a smarter and effective strategy to connect with industry experts, thought leaders, and niche influencers.

These industry experts have already a huge following and engaged audience of their specific area of interest and influence. Though their fan base is slightly smaller than those mega influencers who have a larger fan base, local or niche influencer marketing is more likely to connect with the right and relevant audience.

Local businesses can make the most out of this opportunity and connect with local industry influencers and thought leaders who are renowned in their specific city or region. Research all the bloggers in your region and see if any of them have interests that are relevant to your business, products or services. By building a partnership with niche influencers within your specific town, you can introduce your brand to the highly relevant audience and take your business to new heights of success.

Let’s take an example of Old Navy – an affordable clothing brand here:

The brand tapped social media influencerMeghan Rienks with more than 1.3 million Instagram following and 2 million YouTube subscribers to appear in their promotional posts. Rienks describes her fans how to style outfits for different occasions.

Social Media Advertising

Social media advertising is the best way to achieve your granular targeting. For instance, on Facebook, you can target your ads to those users based on their preferences, city, region, zip code, profession, location and more. You can further refine your Facebook local retargeting to specific users who live in a particular area or have recently visited the area.

Social ads can have the power to drive brand awareness, website conversions, and store visits. There are many social media platforms that allow you to keep a budget in control which is perhaps a major concern for many local advertisers.

Local Search Ads

Local search ads are the most cost effective ways to generate leads and sales. Setting up local search ads with Google allows your business to be listed at the top of the results when a user performs a local search relevant to your business. On desktops, your ad will show a link to your business information, website, and directions. On mobiles, your ad can appear both in mobile search and searches within Google Maps app. Mobile ads include a click-to-call link so users can contact your business directory from the search results.

There is another option of paid search ads that can be operated on a cost-per-click (CPC) basis, makes it easier to pay for only those ads that get clicks. You can set your budget according to your preferences. As you optimize your marketing campaigns and start getting better leads at lower costs, you will gradually increase your budget.

Let’s take an example of WeWork here:

The brand’s Facebook advertisements contain copy and imagery that is relevant to a geographic location and to the user at hand.

Mobile-First Design

Increasing mobile traffic should be the top priority for local businesses. As mobile searches are often local in nature and they depict an immediacy that desktop searches usually lack. A mobile user who searches for a fast-food restaurant is very likely to be out and about looking for a restaurant to visit right now or in the near future. However, a desktop user who conducts the same conducts the same search has different objectives. Targeting that mobile user, therefore, should be a key priority for local businesses.

So, do it right, all you need a mobile-first design that offers a seamless mobile website experience. But unfortunately, local business industry slowly adopting the latest web design trends, however, they should be the ones who stand to gain a lot by designing a mobile-first experience that fulfills the needs of mobile users easily.

Warby Parker – an American brand of prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses optimized their mobile site to offer a seamless and excellent user experience.

Over to You

Even for many digital marketing agencies with a dedicated marketing team, it is a challenge to stay on top of all the latest changes that happen in the world of digital marketing. For local brands with small budgets, the effective approach is to use the best local marketing tactics listed above and invest in your digital marketing efforts to get the best ROI.